I bought a Flattie from a friend a while back. I put it in my current T-V8 build and am dangerously close to firing it up. I ordered some repair parts for an 8BA distributor (cap, rotor, etc) but they don't fit. The diameter of the distributor in the engine is smaller than the cap I got, and the rotor is different as well. It's also a dual-point unit. There are no markings on the distributor that I can find, except the cap has "Made in France" on the inside and a maker's logo with RB in an oval on the outside. The nut where the coil wire attaches is a metric size. Here are some pics. I asked the friend from whom I bought the engine whether he remembered anything about this, and he said that he had bought a French Flattie years ago and put a Mallory distributor on it and used the French distributor in something else but didn't remember what. He said he might also have swapped the timing cover from the French engine to another. Is that what I have here? Here's the timing cover from both sides. (Water pumps are 59A) He said the distributor is virtually new, so I'd like to use it if I can. The cap has some damage so I'll need a new one, and I'd like to get a rotor for it as well. Where can I get those parts? I'm new at all this flathead stuff, so any guidance will be appreciated. Thanks,Mike.
My french flat head has a cam thrust adjustment built into the timing cover. There is a lock nut to secure it once set. Don't know if all the French engines had this or not.
Maybe inquire of one of our French members? If you have all the pieces of the damaged cap you can put it back together with JB weld or a similar epoxy.I have done this a couple of times when I just could not find a distributor cap and it works fine.It would at least allow you to start the engine and run it some.
Hopefully some french members will read this thread. The dist. cap had one "nipple" broken off, and the previous owner epoxied another one on. The engine will run with this cap, as he had it running on a stand when I bought it. I'd still like to have an intact cap.
I have a French distributor somewhere in my junk, I bought it at a swap meet thinking it was 8BA I think it came out of a car called vedette. I don't remember the maker of the car may be Simca? Wont bolt into American 8BA so I think You have a French block.
PO says he removed this distributor and probably the timing cover from a French block and put them on a different engine, presumably this 8BA.
yeah, that timing cover is the french version Quote from somewhere "· The distributor is French and it would be very hard to find replacements for wear and tear parts like points, caps, vacuum advance etc. Mallory makes new distributors but they are very expensive, so a standard Ford distributor is a good alternative. They can be found on eBay for a few dollars and up depending on their condition. The overwhelming advantage of the Ford distributors is that you can get any parts for them and you can even make them electronic with easy to fit Pertronix kits (12 V negative ground only). The engine front cover that holds the distributor is not exactly the same. The hole the distributor shaft sits into is 8 mm (5/16") longer and the distributor is fastened with a bolt on the shaft. On the Ford engine the distributor is hold in place with a bolt and clamp on the cylinder head. So either the shaft has to be machined to get it far enough in or alternatively use the front cover from a Ford engine and make the threaded hole for the holding bolt and clamp." I recommend ordering a new cover from VanPeltes
Standard Ford has vacuum advance only, I converted mine to small block chevy. Bubbas Hot Rod shop sells them ready to go.
I quit using flathead distributors years ago and always use an adapted Chevy. The only way to go in my book. You might have to us an American 8BA cover, but absolutely worth it.
The distributor that you have is a Simca cargo, french flathead distrib , and it is nothing but bad, use a Bubba one, or similar product
Cheaters Pete....really even with dual points?hmmm i thought that would be at least an improvement on a factory ford u.s distributor? What is the downfall? being made for french military vehicles which demand reliability....?Johnny
they are reliable, but the only vacum advance system really limit the perf... modified SBC distrib with pertronix or similar is the way to go
SoCal Sacramento sells the French flathead....they bought a bunch of them in crates a few years ago. I think the French motor was Simca, as already suggested, also military equipment. Jim.
If You really want to use the one You have I will dig in my distributor cabinet and see if I have the Cap and Rotor. You can have the whole distributor if you want it , the only thing I used off of it was the drive gear. It fit the small block chevy shaft I built without having to machine it. The original Loadamatic drive gear is smaller than chevy shaft.
Look for a stock 8BA timing cover. contact Charlie Schwindler (spelling?), Orchard Park, NY, He is a doing the Chevy conversion distributors. There have been quite a few problems with Bubba deliveries in the past. Charlie does excellent work, he even adds a mounting tab on the side of the dizzy to use the factory 8BA distributor fastener. He is on Ford Barn Charlie ny
Thanks for that good info, CheatersPete. It's good to hear from someone who is familiar with these units. paleot -- Thank you for that offer. I might just take you up on it. And thank you to everyone who contributed info to this thread. I was convinced that I wanted to use the dual-point unit I have, but now I'm not sure. I'll continue with gathering info from all sources I can find, and I'll be doing some ass-scratching to figure out which way to go. One thing's for sure, I know a lot more about this distributor setup now than I did a few days ago.
The french motors were set up with 24 volts i believe. Cant go wrong with GM conversion ftom Bubba's. Sent from my SM-G900P using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Your pumps aren't 59A Will dig up some parts leads this pm, I think. Look in there...it is a deep cup, this is probably a centrifugal advance system. If so it likely just wants some weaker springs on the advance than it would carry for life in a truck (I just noticed you mention RB logo. Sure suggests Robert Bosch.)
You're right, they're pickup pumps as I recall. Robert Bosch seems likely. Today I went to Flat Motor Research in Grove, OK and talked with Rex Gardner. I explained my situation, and he said the hot setup is a Mallory distributor. He sold me one of those and a proper timing cover. So I reckon I'm all set. If anyone is still reading this thread, does someone need the French distributor and timing cover I have? The fellow I bought the engine from says the distributor is virtually new, so if someone needs a replacement for a worn-out one, I can fix you up. You'll still need to source a cap for it. The cap I have will run an engine, but it has some damage. I don't know whether anyone is running one of these or not, but I thought I'd ask. I don't need it now.
Go to NAPA and compare your point either to a live CS305 or to the pic in the 131 Echlin buyer's guide catalog. If not spot on, look through Bosch section. My elderly catalog also has French stuff under Ducelier and SEV, probably discontinued by now, but I think yours look like several Bosch sets. They mostly cross to VW, so likely still available. If the thing is vac only, don't bother...but I think Holley had that crap under patent. (wrote this up yesterday, forgot to push POST...so here it is after the conversation!) I'd be interested in the setup to study if pretty cheap...it's an interesting shot in the dark exploration. If you PM me, I'll be away from the computer from this afternoon until Monday afternoon as there's nothing electronic in my cave. Bruce
I had a french motor in my 46 and it had the french distributor, single point version. It had vacuum advance only and guess what? The vac unit had failed so I had no advance at all!.. I adapted a chev dual point and ran that. Mart.
The chevy conversions are great...provided that: You machine the distributor so that it sits as low as possible Use the diameter that is under the Chevy tie down Do Not push distributor "sidewise" with a set screw When machining the Chevy drive shaft for the Ford Distributor gear...don't get lazy! Use a 4 jaw chuck to get the shaft on center. Get a good fit between shaft and drive gear. I used size on size!
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